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Friday, 25 April 2014

William, Kate and George Say Goodbye to Australia

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge honoured Anzac Day and paid their respects on the final day of their Australian tour.

The couple attended the Anzac Day March and Commemorative Service at the Australian War Memorial. The service formed a very fitting end to Their Royal Highnesses' visit to Australia, and one could say to New Zealand too, as the country was also represented at the ceremony.

The Duke and Duchess viewed a fly pass.

William and Kate spent time viewing the war memorial.

Originally, the 25th of April marked the sacrifice of Australian and New Zealand forces in the Gallipoli campaign in the First World War. Now, the date is used to commemorate the 99th year of the Anzac landings and broadly commemorates all Australians and New Zealanders who served and died in all wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations and the contribution and suffering of all those involved.

It was a very solemn occasion.

A photo of the War Memorial before the events began.

David Wilkinson CNN

The Duke and Duchess planted a tree in the Memorial Garden - planting a seed from a lone pine which was taken from the site of the Gallipoli battle.

The couple were presented with a picture of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester planting a pine in 1934.

Emily Andrews Twitter Feed

William and Kate laid a wreath.

The couple placed poppies on the wall of remembrance.

Lest we forget.

Gordon Rayner Twitter Feed

After farewells to their hosts, the royal party departed at Defence Establishment Fairbairn in Canberra for London.

Prince George looked adorable in dungarees and a red cardigan. It is quite likely we won't see the tot again until his birthday when a photo will probably be released.

George's overalls are by Neck and Neck (with thanks to What Prince George Wore). The brand has a store at Duke of York Square and it's quite likely Kate purchased it there. It's available for $51.

Neck and Neck

The little prince let out a cry before they left.

William and Kate quickly comforted George.

MEDIA-MODE.COM

Prime Minister Tony Abbott shook George's hand.

MEDIA-MODE.COM

Prince William was looking forward to introducing Kate and George to New Zealand and Australia and I have no doubt they all had a wonderful time. The tour was a resounding success for the family.

The trio were photographed at Sydney Airport before flying back to London. A really lovely smile from William as he holds a teething George.

MEDIA-MODE.COM

Now the tour has ended, the royals plan to enjoy some private time and celebrate their third wedding anniversary.

MEDIA-MODE.COM

Kate chose a blue-grey coatdress for today's event. We had quite a job identifying the piece before it was confirmed it's actually by New-York based designer Michael Kors. It is the first time Kate has worn a piece by the brand and the indigo twill jacquard swing coat from the Spring 2014 Collection was a stellar choice for Her Royal Highness.

A closer look.

From the official press release:

'Michael Kors is pleased to announce that Catherine Duchess of Cambridge wore an indigo twill jacquard coat from the Spring 2014 Collection.'

Back in 2010, Mr. Kors compared Kate to the First Lady, who he has dressed many time. More from Hello!:

'When I look at Kate I see a changing of the guard in what is considered elegant. She likes to look easy but chic. I would liken her to Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni in a way. All these women are in a situation where they are shaking off the formal suits of their predecessors.'

Below we see Kate's coat on the runway. Oscar winning actress Lupita Nyong'O also wore a version of the piece at a Pre-Oscar party earlier this year.

Michael Kors

Kate wore a navy hat by Australian milliner Jonathan Howard. Once photos began to surface royal fans on Twitter began comparing the look of the piece to bunny ears.

One of our readers kindly shared a link to an article by the Courier Mail:

'The Paddington-based Mr Howard was contacted by Kensington Palace in January and asked if he would like to create a piece for the Royal Tour of Australia. "More than 30 emails were exchanged, finished samples sent to the Palace for consideration and approval, along with colour swatches too", Mr Howard says. "The colour palette changed several times with the final colour to be a dark navy blue as seen today".

The chosen modern headpiece known as Boutton comes in the appropriately named 'Duchess Blue'.

The poppy brooch Kate wore was given to her at last night's reception by the wife of Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith V.C. Both William and Kate wore a sprig of rosemary, traditionally worn on Anzac Day because it grows wild on Gallipoli.

Kate accessorised with her sapphire and diamond drop earrings and her Asprey charm pendant.

Splash News

As the royal tour comes to a close, it seems an appropriate time to mention those who have been invaluably helpful throughout the tour. A special thank you to royal photographer James Whatling for his tireless work and superb photos; James takes the majority of the photos you see on this blog. He and his wife recently welcomed a new baby, so it must have been especially difficult to be away from home. We also thank the very helpful and kind team at Media-Mode for their speedy photos throughout the tour.

Most importantly, a sincere thank you to everyone who took the time to read and comment. It has been such much fun hearing your thoughts and seeing debate develop despite the pace of posting. I feel incredibly lucky to have such engaging readers. It's the third royal tour I've covered and it's been tremendous fun with plenty of memorable events! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. You can read all of our tour coverage at the Royal Tour 2014 Page.

We'll be having our 'End of Tour' fashion polls next, where you can vote for Kate's best looks.

I will be the first to post here this evening. Charlotte thanks for the quick update and pictures! I really like this coat dress. To me it's a feminine version of a business suit. Very conservative but pretty and tailored. I think it was lovely for today's events. I'm not really a fan of the hat - but the colour was spot on. I think I would have not worn the necklace today and just gone with the sapphire earrings. To me these two pieces are mismatched. Kate's jewellery has been a bit hit and miss at times for this tour. Perhaps a piece representing Australia would have been a nice touch.

It really only seems like yesterday that the tour had just begun. Time sure did pass so quickly on this tour. Thank you so much Charlotte for your amazing coverage. I've been following every single one of your tweets and posting on every single post. Todays look was a miss for me. I've never been a big fan of tweed it's always reminded me of the type of fabric someone's grandmother would wear, and that's what Kate's coat reminds me of. It looks a little too matronly to me. Didn't care for the hat much either, it really does look like bunny ears.

I agree, this look is one of my favorites too. I especially liked the coat and the hat - I love hats. I have really enjoyed these posts - this page is great. The Royal Tour of Australia and New Zealand was very interesting and one of my favorites too.

Thank you Charlotte, it has been amazing to follow Prince William, Catherine and George these past few weeks, I hope and believe that it has been a life altering experience for them. I think it is becoming very clear that Catherine will be choosing outfits that are appropriate for the occasions and events that the royals attend. She is classy, elegant and timeless. Both Catherine and William are caring and responsive to vulnerable people in our society, we have seen it more and more on this tour.I am glad Catherine is choosing not to be so much about fashion, but about listening to and supporting people. It shows substance and grace in her royal role. I wish them all the best as they return to the UK.

Really nice comments Florence. I really enjoyed seeing them as a happy family. I also enjoyed seeing Catherine so natural and lovely. Wasn't it nice seeing William and Kate smiling at each other, enjoying each other's company? This is what I've been waiting for!

I love her tweed coat. I like her jewelry, although I wish we would see more of it. I hope that she learns to use statement jewels as the centerpoint, and dresses to highlight that piece of jewelry. That sort of jewelry is not simply a necklace to add to her look. I want to drool over gems!

Thank you for such an amazing coverage. Absolutely fabulous to say the least. You are well deserved for a break, not that I would like you to take one thats too long. I will be having withdrawals and missing the interesting updates each day on something new about Kate. I hope this is an indication that she will be getting back into the swing of things once she is home and well rested. If not, I might just have to petition a few more charity events for her.

As for today's outfit, I liked the fact she did not wear black but in saying that I don't know if I like the dress. The jury is still out. The fabric pattern is interesting but Im debating with myself if its flattering.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your hard work these last three weeks. Your coverage along with other bloggers makes following Kate so enjoyable for all of us. Keep up the great work (after a rest, of course!).

Having already commented on her hat (which I dislike very much), I do like the dress. Just wish we could have seen some additional Australian and New Zealand accessories/jewelry, clothing, clutches, etc. throughout the tour. Out of the three tours so far, this one had probably been my least favorite as far as the fashion goes. Canada is certainly hard to top though!

Thank you for ALL of your hard work, Charlotte! You have provided amazing coverage. You must be exhausted and I hope you are able to enjoy some nice relaxing down-time now that the tour is wrapping up.

Anonymous 6:54 That's an astute observation. This outfit is not wearing her. I think it's because this coat at a distance anyway looks well-tailored to her body and also it's not a solid color. She looks great in bright colors but a coat or simple dress in one bright solid color is so attention-grabbing that's all you see.Sarah in Minneapolis

Sarah in Minneapolis, you made my day (saying my observation was astute) since you're a dress designer. I like how you said, "This outfit is not wearing her." It sums up what I was trying to say perfectly. I love reading your comments, especially since you're coming from a professional's point of view! I'm having fun learning about fashion from this blog. (And learning that, really, you can't please everyone.)

For me today's outfit was mixed. I liked everything except the hat. Oh god, please return it. Bunny ears, they were just awful. Sorry. I did really like the take on the hair twirls though. Perhaps this was what she had been trying to accomplish earlier with her side twirls before? However, the twirls are softer now and it really makes a very big difference. I like the look better now, however, I wouldn't try even these softer twirls without a hat.

Charlotte. thank you for your post. You're up early and it's appreciated! I saw a tweet that said, "Kate has worn a hat by Australian milliner Jonathan Howard." And yes, the first image I saw made me think 'bunny ears' but in looking at the hat, it's lovely and I'm sure Kate will figure it out (maybe it needs to sit back a little bit more?). I loved her outfit today. And have great respect that they attended the dawn service this morning. Is the Australia Air Force flying them all the way back to London?

The legendary bravery and gallantry of ANZAC troops at Gallipoli and in the next World War can never be over emphasized and must never be forgotten. So says this American daughter of a WWII veteran.I am so glad to see this inspiring remembrance ceremony because Kate and William were there. I thought their somber clothing was appropriate to this solemn occasion. So good of them to join the early risers to take part in the dawn ceremony, it was very moving. Not really a time to talk about fashion, just will say I preferred the Noa coat and the Jonathan Miller hat does not really suit Kate. Great job, Charlotte. Thank you again for all your hard work.

LOVE IT. This is so classically Kate. Beautiful, simple, flattering. A great finish to a fantastic tour.

Charlotte, you are simply extraordinary! I am so impressed with your speed, thoroughness, writing style, and your respectful standards on what you will and will not publish. Thank you for this highly entertaining and informative experience!

I would love to know as well as I am also close to TN, however, I'm somewhat hesitant to think they will actually go to the wedding. They're just getting back to England after a 20+ hour flight and a 3 week "work" tour and I can imagine they're exhausted. Getting Prince George back on schedule, celebrating their anniversary, meeting with family, unpacking, etc. will probably be just as exhausting and I just don't foresee them taking another long flight to the states for a friend's wedding. Though, if they do end up going, I will squeal with excitement!

Charlotte: Thank you, thank you, thank you for your coverage of the tour. Having been a royal watcher all my life, I had never followed a tour via this medium and I am so glad I found you and I'm thrilled and overjoyed that you all have brought the Royal tour in my living room. It felt as thought I was there enjoying the sights, feeling the excitement, experiencing the weather conditions. I love the photographs and thrilled that I will have the opportunity to look back at them time and time again. I was especially thrilled that Prince George, the "Prince of Cutenesss" was on this tour with his parents as he brought something extra special to it, the least of which was getting an up close and somewhat personal look of the royal couple as a young family--the images of baby George, the unscripted and unpredictable moments caught on camera, frozen in time are priceless. The Duchess, true to her trademark, classic, modest and simple pieces brought anticipation each day of the tour as I waited for your blog to post photos of her --you were my go blog before all the others. Once again, thank you sincerely. Blessing on you.

Breathtakingly beautiful. This is what Kate does so well (most of the time :)): Simple with a hint of extravagance. I mean this hat is just delicious. It reminded me instantly of the little black hat Wallis Simpson once wore. Must have been in the 1930s or 40s. It looked like it had little wings. Does anyone know what I am talking about? Well, I am in sophistication heaven; what a wonderful, wonderful outfit.I had to laugh when I read the palace decided not to release details on the outfit to keep the focus on the event rather then on Kate's clothing. Well intended but how naive! The more information they try to detain, the more attention the subject will attract. And now it's almost over. And what a wonderful tour it was. I think they both looked and acted very mature and very much in love with each other. Much more so then on the previous tours. A couple of years and a baby later .... I think they have done incredibly well.Charlotte, I don't know what we would have done without you. 3 weeks on nightshift.... down under time. Thank you so much, you crazy chick!!!!!! : )

Anna, like you, I saw wings--a fuselage, actually--not ears. I thought it a fitting tribute to servicemen and women who, if they were not in the air force, would have flown to their destination--or their destiny. I also thought it sophisticated and retro.

Ditto, to thank you so much you crazy chick! Couldn't say it better, so an echo is the next best thing.

RNNOKC, I think you are right. I've found a picture of Andrea Riseborough in W.E and one of Wallis Simpson herself. You need to scroll down a bit on both links.http://thebutterflybalcony.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/fabulous-film-fashions-we.htmlhttp://fashionsmostwanted.blogspot.co.nz/2009/11/seven-quotes-for-thursday-afternoon.html

Thanks, Anna! I just googled "WAllis Simpson hats." I am not exactly computer literate.In the throes of tour withdrawal. Miss hearing daily from familiar voices. Even the rather shrill ones. Oh, well. I have my stash of tour posts.

I so enjoyed experiencing ANZAC Day for the first time from far away and learning about the history and symbolism of it. The events of the day were interesting and inspiring.

I am so amazed at how much Prince George has changed just in these last three weeks! If you look at a full-frontal picture from their arrival and compare it to one from their departure today the differences are very noticeable! His hair has gotten much thicker on top and he is starting to look more like a toddler than infant in his facial features. Simply adorable! The extended family might be in for a surprise when they next see him!

Wishing them a safe flight home and a nice break - and their staff as well.

I like the whole outfit- so very appropriate and becoming. I must say, that the Duchess's fashion choices are always understated when performing official royal duties, that she might chose a not so sedate hat, is fabulous. That, it is only with accessories she can experiment, perhaps break out of the mold a bit, perhaps is her choice. The hat works well with the rest of her attire and she wore it well!

So sad the tour is gone, I had a wonderful time following kate in these days and it's been interesting to get somehow in touch with a far part of the world, and reading the followers comments here.

I will remember this tour more for seeing a family in action than for kate sartorial choices

Fron this point of view I think kate is going through a new way in her learning how to dress and act as an institutional person.

I hope she will find her personal way to mix decency respect but a little of glamour ; i stil hope she will became a little more style daring, since being institutional does not mean wrap up in a old style coat painted in national colours. There a universe of garments (trousers!!!! Where are you?) And colors she can explore - hope with some expert helping her.

Looking forward to some airport switching update and the poll ... That done Charlotte have a break, you absolutely earned that!

I will miss these posts terribly. They have come just in time for me to read before I retire for the night since I'm in Colorado. I thought her coat dress was perfect for today's event. It was very Kate--understated, simple, and timeless. She will be able to use it many more times. The color of the hat was perfect. The way the material was cut and sort of flopped over did remind me of bunny ears, too.

I really enjoyed the events with George. He certainly seems to be a handful. I think he will be walking soon and working off some of that adoreable baby fat! How fun to get so many glimpses of him. W and K have obviously spent a lot of time with him and that's a wonderful thing! Both W and K showed care and concern to all the right people at all the right times. I just wish I could be a cute 3 year old again so I could give Kate a bouquet of flowers!

I can't believe it but I'm sitting here at 10 pm my time watching this blog be updated by the moment with additional pictures. Charlotte, thank you. You are TIRELESS! You don't know most of us, many of the commenters uses anon or just plain monikers like mine. We all feel like we know you. You have brought us your own well-rounded, well-written stamp to the tour. I know everyone has enormous respect for you. I hope this blog brings you amazing opportunities.

I have read every post eagerly and read the comments. We all love Kate so much because she's accessible, gorgeous, and respectful of her husband and his family. She is the perfect package and yet she's still human. Simply astonishing.

Thank you, Charlotte. You had directly enhanced the viewing and understanding of the tour for people all over the world!

I honestly cannot thank you all enough for your support. It has been so thoroughly enjoyable for me to cover. It's really very hard to believe it's over. We talked about it for so long and the tour itself literally flew past.

William and Kate did a terrific job representing the royal family and I have no doubt Her Majesty will be proud. For me personally, this tour wasn't really about Kate's clothes. Her sartorial choices very much took a back seat to Prince George and the events. I've been looking back and I actually think Pippa helped her to put the wardrobe together. Tory Burch, Lela Rose, Susannah - all Pippa brands.

I think William and Kate should feel very proud of themselves. They've come across as very down to earth and interested in each and every engagement.

I can see your point here that Pippa has something to do with her wardrobe choices but I must say for me Pippa is not the person whom I follow. She has so questionable choices unlike the Duchess or at least so far. Thanks again!

CHARLOTTE, I really hope Pippa won't be Kate'fashion advisor. Kate does not need any more brands but a global supervision when she has to dress up (and really hope she drops lela rose, it' sreally not for her)

I looked at a number (over 15) of the Lela Rose fashions, and I agree -totally not for anyone except over-the-top Texas +/or Hollyweird crowd. (And I lived there for decades, and these would be weird even for there).

Dear Charlotte thank you for all the wonderful coverage of the tour. I am very sad to see it end but I know William and Kate must be exhausted. I think George looks adorable so cute! I love all the outfits Kate puts him in! I love and adore her coat. So many have been criticizing Kate for not wearing more Australian designers so I'm glad she wore a hat by one of them. However I really do not like the look of this hat and don't find it flattering on her.

I wish you were right! But I honestly doubt it... :(Trooping of the Colour w/ the parade and horses and crowds seems VERY loud and overwhelming for a baby! I kinda think that W&K will leave George at home for at least another year before he meets crowds THAT big. Even in Australia and New Zealand it seems they never brought home around very big crowds. All of his appearances seemed to be in controlled environments w/ small crowds and media only.

Or George may have been saying, "No more airplane flights!" My little one does not like the way the pressure makes her little eardrums feel on takeoffs and landings! But I'm sure he like airplanes in general, like most little boys, and with a daddy who flies!! Lovely family photos!!

I agree, Gabriella. I think George will appear at Trooping the Color--on the balcony at least. Incidentally, I love the little red cardigan and striped shorts he was wearing with his little navy shoes as they departed. What a striking complement to Kate's blue twill coat with the red poppy! I hope someone will i.d. the cardigan and shorts soon.

This last coat dress is definitely my favourite of the whole tour. It looks so elegant yet youthful, wonderfully tailored, the colours suit Kate so much, it is just perfect. Regarding the hat, I think it is wonderful, too, and I needed a second glance to see what other people meant by those "bunny ears".

Still the best of the tour was that it was covered by Charlotte, this meant pleasure and infotainment at its very best. I anticipated that Charlotte would reach a new height and she obviously did not disappoint. So thank you very much, dear Charlotte, for turning your everyday routine upside down for us and a BIG thank you to your fiancé who has tolerated all that. This was/is wonderful work, absolutely gorgeous. You really made my Easter break!

Bravo Charlotte! Congratulations on such wonderful coverage of the tour. It has been a treat to check your site each day and see the updates. Much like the Duchess approaches her work, yours is also informed, thorough, and thoughtful. I wonder if you would ever consider altering your current approach and doing daily posts? Perhaps including more of Kate's world? A girl can dream. I thought Kate's look today was lovely. Appropriately classic and understated. Sometimes I think small tweaks like different buttons, jewelry, and minor style details on her dresses could make the difference between nice and knock-out, but those are minor points. I love that the Duchess carefully chooses timeless pieces that don't make huge statements. She shines right through her wardrobe as every woman should. Thank you again for filling up my Royal cup. I can't wait for more soon!

PS -- I think Kate's hat was worn too low on her head. It was close to touching her eyebrows! That positioning enhanced the bunny ear effect. Please do give details on George's clothing when you can. More Rachel Riley? I have a little boy and love the super classic, preppy look the Royals select for their children. I was hoping the Duchess would continue the trend and am thrilled with her styling for George on this tour. The departure outfit looks a lot like one William wore as a small child. I imagine the Duchess is looking to old photos of William and Harry for some guidance/inspiration. Love it!

Hey Charlotte, how about some well deserved holiday in New Zealand?????You have done heaps of research already and guess what? You won't even get a jetlag LOL.Well, in case you want to visit us - you have my email address ; )

The hat: my first impression wasn't of bunny ears, but of a free interpretation of a nurse Red Cross victorian hat. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1365088/Diary-Battle-Somme-Florence-Nightingale-nurse-auction.htmlor

I noticed the very fine red and white stripes as well. Plus he's wearing overalls. You can see a small bit of the bib section on some of the photos. I think overalls for babies are the ultimate cuteness.Sarah in Minneapolis

Thank you so much for keeping us updated throughout the tour. I live in South Africa and I have loved waking up every morning to check what Kate is wearing that day in Australia/NZ.You do an outstanding job and I know sometimes you must be writing posts in the middle of the night (your time).I find this little Royal Family very interesting.

A BILLION thanks to you, dear Charlotte, for the wonderful coverage of this tour ! It has been such fun waking up every morning and reading your great posts with a mug of tea :-) Thank you for all your sleepless nights and hard work. I hope your exams will be fine and you will get some rest now.

I liked this last coat for memorial day. Very appropriate. All in all, I found some of the outfits on the tour absolutely stunning and ravishing, others rather a let down, and I was a bit disappointed the Duchess didn't wear more Australian or New Zealand designers. I can't understand why she chose an American designer suddenly, whose white dress I didn't find very stylish. I do hope Pippa will not be advising the Duchess... Her choices in fashion are not that good in my opinion.

The couple did a wonderful job. The Queen must be happy the tour went well :-)

A great tour and great info from you Charlotte---thank you.Catherine has been beautifully dressed all the way through--that takes a lot of thought and planning, though. of course we all liked some better than others.George has been a delight---hopefully we will see him on the balcony at Trooping the Colour.and William has shepherded them all.They have a different way of doing things and it works.

Maybe a private joke to get them through the ceremonies. I don't think they lacked respect, but I do think a bit of comic relief never hurt. Please don't take that the wrong way, Aussie friends. Kate had to have been well aware of the proper angle.

Dear Charlotte thank you so much for your brilliant work. The family looked unsurprisingly sombre. I love the dawn service coat. I bet it looks suberb in real life. Prince George looks like he's nowfed up with all the travelling. Ihave been following the tour on twitter and the royal reporters and photographers have worked so hard are wonderfully cheerful and generous in their sharing.And again thamk you to you for all your work Donna

What?? I though the hat was very chic. The whole look was perfect.I am a year older than the Duchess and I only wish that she woulddonate that outfit to me.

I wanted to add that William and Kate look very much like two peoplewho have a real bond. it was great to see. Lastly, all of the talk aboutthem not being hands on parents should be completely disspelled.

Charlotte, thank you for all your hard work over the last three weeks. I have enjoyed each and every post and one of the best things for us in the UK has been waking up to new content each morning. Well done.

Thank you for great coverage!!! It was always so fast! The way the hat on the Hat Maker website is positioned looks a lot better than the way it was set on her head today. It looks like if the hat had been turned more toward the side (like it's displayed on the website), then the ends of the bow would not have both been directly behind her giving her the "bunny ear" effect.

Wow! The family photos are lovely. It's obvious that much thought was given in coordinating all of their clothing today. I love the navy, red and white combination. Kate looks fabulous. I happen to love the navy tweed. It showcases her poppy pin very nicely. I actually like her hat, but I agree that it might be positioned too low on her forehead.

George seems to be growing by leaps and bounds. He could not be cuter! He doesn't know that he has become a "trendsetter" too! I will miss seeing this lovely family, but they deserve some time off. Their critics would not call this work, but I couldn't disagree more. They have not put a foot wrong. The future of the monarchy is in very capable hands.

Thank you, Charlotte! Your coverage has been outstanding and delightful! You deserve some down time yourself!

Wonderful wonderful wonderful .... I'm so sorry it's all over - what will I do?? I'm recovering from a fractured spine and the last 3 weeks of reading your blog Charlotte has been so exciting! You've done a fabulous job. Thank you!

Are you on complete bedrest, or have you graduated to a brace? Hopefully, not a body cast! Then physical therapy. You have a long road ahead. Good luck! Maybe another royal wedding? Harry? the York girls.? We can always daydream and reread Charlotte's many, many beautiful posts.Marg

There aren't enough words to say thank you for this wonderful site that I have enjoyed every morning over the past several days. It has been such fun following the coverage of William and Kate and it is all thanks to your hard work. Wishing you success in all that you do. Marla from New Hampshire, USA

Wonderful! You must and they must be so exhausted! I was thinking the other day, that ever since I became a mom (about 8 years ago), I don't have a lot of extra emotional energy and I often wonder how Kate does it now that she has little George. Things like a war memorial service would turn me into a blubbering mess! I hope you have a wonderful much deserved rest!

Acording to Hello! its a Michael Kors : "Michael Kors is pleased to announce that Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge wore an indigo twill jacquard swing coat from the Spring 2014 collection during the final day of the Royal tour of Australia and New Zealand on April 25, 2014," a press release revealed.

Kate's look for the last day was absolutely gorgeous, although, she did look exhausted. I believe this tour set the tone for a more royal approach for Kate's wardrobe; she looked more royal. Does anyone remember the "mommy" phase when fashion wasn't as important? I do, and I am sure Kate, in a small way, is going through the same phase. It's clear that on her day off she was truly herself: a hands on mom with a ponytail. How anyone could say she is not a hands on mother is beyond me. Both Kate and William clearly adore their child and appear to be very dedicated to his upbringing. I will miss those cheeks though.. All in all a brilliant tour for the lovely couple and I wish them all the best in the coming years. Sad to think we won't see George for a while, Dear Charlotte, thanks so much for your brilliant coverage. I never worry about missing anything because you're always faithful to have my blog waiting for me. God Bless! Becks, North Carolina

Well, I´d never have thought I´d see the day - but I fear I´m on "Kate overdose".... Or is it some of her styles I´ve seen too often, like the dresses and coats with the wide-swinging bottom part? I will not comment any further on that....Prince George is incredibly cute, and surely a handful....

Charlotte, it´s YOU I want to thank from the bottom of my heart for all your incredible work, tireless, I surely don´t know how you do it (and that´s coming from me, who´s quite famous for not getting tired if something interests me or if it´s important)!!! You can be so PROUD of all this work here and this blog in general!! I think it just honours YOU that all "royal" correspondents and that great photographer are working together with you! You show their work and information off to absolute PERFECTION. So they should be proud sharing with you, really.... Your coverage of this tour - a MASTERPIECE I would say!! Congratulations, and another huge THANK YOU!! Please take a rest - that is if you can "unwind" after all this incredible work day and night! I´m sure the adrenaline is still pumping...;-)))) Thanks, Charlotte, you´re the greatest!!!!!

Thank you Charlotte for all your tireless hours relaying the updates via blog, Facebook AND Twitter! I thought this final look was superb! The coat was very chic and the hat is to die for! This may have moved into the position of my favorite hat! Such pizzazz! It has an element of fun and whimsy!

Wow! Thanks for the amazing coverage. I like this tour a lot - especially with Prince George! I loved seeing them as a family, it was truly beautiful. Kate, as always, was impeccable. Prince William looked like a wonderful father and husband and Prince George, well, he is just too darn cute! Thanks, Charlotte.

It was wonderful to not only indulge in fashion fantasy but to learn so much about so many things from kindred souls AND to learn about two other countries and their cultures and their wonderful people....what other blog offers such a complete experience!? Re Pippa's possible influence... Kate has a far better sense of balance, proportion, fabrics and fit. She never goes out looking like a skinny Helena Bonham Carter like Pippa does. Sorry to say that but Pippa too often looks frumpy and Kate looks sleek and elegant...never overloaded.

Charlotte, I haven't posted before but I am a regular to this site and just want to thank you for all your hard work that you put in! I enjoy each post that you write! I have the utmost respect for Kate, to be under such constant scrutiny must be exhausting! I think this was a wonderful tour, there were a lot of repeat clothing choices and I really didn't mind that. Shows that she is comfortable with herself and re-wearing the clothes in public. Just one comment on the hat from today...if she would have worn it like the picture of it on the mannequin she would not have had all the bunny ear comments (I'm guessing that she will laugh about those a few weeks from now when she's got some much needed rest). However, I think that she is absolutely gorgeous no matter what! Thanks again Charlotte, get some sleep!

She just has to wear those "blue suede shoes" when she comes to Memphis in the US!! That would be such a classic pun..Love the coat! The fit is fantastic and the poppy brooch is excellent and goes so well with the outfit.

Oh! Three weeks have flied! I enjoyed every single posts and I entered to your blog every morning during the past three weeks, despite that I rarely made any comments.

Kate's choices have been beautiful. Even though some are not really my taste but still, she pulls off most of everything. William looked wonderful. Prince George is just sooooo cute. I really love seeing their family photo. I always fill the chemistry between William and Kate. However, when all three are together as a family, I feel the bond and I feel like George fulfilled the chemistry between Kate and William.

All of these feeling couldn't happen without you and your wonderful blog, a blog to be proud of.THANK YOU SO MUCH, Charlotte! You must have worked incredibly hard and have had sleepless nights in order to make a speedy post for every engagements TRH made in NZ y Australia. Kudos for that! Take a rest and have a nice weekend.

What a spectacular and regal end to their tour! Your blog had me reminiscent of William's tour as a baby and I went through my cherished collection. I read something interesting that I had forgot and thought I would share here. William didn't wear shoes that trip as it was custom for Royal babies to not wear shoes until they could walk. Have you heard of that custom?

A very sincere thank you for all the hours you have devoted Charlotte. Again this tour you have kept us all up to date in record time, along with amazing research of Kate's events themselves! Hope you have a chance to rest now and enjoy your blog as much as we all have. Jax in Canada

I wish I could convey how much I enjoy reading your blog. Your coverage of the tour was magnificent and it truly is appreciated by this American anglophile. Being able to take a break in the middle of a very busy workday to catch up with your blog is quite a treat. I have not generally been a follower of fashion but I now find myself very interested in the Duchess's style, mainly due to your coverage on it. Thank you so, so much for all of your hard work.

This was a lovely outfit.The coat beautifully tailored and flattering to Kate's shape. So reminiscent of vintage 50's style. There was a glimpse of a navy dress/skirt underneath but obviously the coat stayed on whilst they were out in public. The family's final farewell looked splendid.

I was expecting more Australian/NZ outfits; but it hasn't really concerned me as an Aussie. A comment was printed in one of the posts that some Australian designers were asked their thought on the lack of Australian fashion on Kate and their reply was that it wasn't an issue for them. Their opinion was that it's all about what suits Kate and what she feels comfortable in. This greatly reflects how "down to earth" we are here in "the Land down Under."

I would loved to have seen the brooch (though for sentimental reasons) as well - perhaps last night; perhaps the right outfit or occasion did not arise?

I certainly wouldn't expect to see it today.ANZAC day is a major deal here. It really is a reflecting day. It's a very quiet day as many things close down until at least after lunch. The poppy badge was all that was necessary. Wearing a spectacular and brilliant brooch would just not have been appropriate at all.

I'm quite touched they took the time and effort to attend the dawn service. They must have been there from about 5:30am which means a very early start to their day.I hope they enjoyed our hospitality and choose to come down again! :)

I ditto the sentiments towards you too Charlotte. What an epic effort from you. Well Done!!!

For all the servicemen that gave up their lives for our country and for those that continue to do so ....."Lest we Forget."

I wish I could convey to you how much I enjoy your blog. Your coverage of the tour was magnificent, especially to this American anglophile. Taking a break from a busy day at work to read a new post is quite a treat. I previously was not much of a follower of fashion but I have particularly enjoyed your coverage of the Duchess's fashion (especially the jewelry!). Please know that your readers do understand how much work goes into your blog and it is extremely appreciated. - Jennifer in Alexandria, VA, USA

I am sad this tour is over with, how fast the 3weeks went!! I do hope you get some rest now Charlotte, hopefully a full night sleep! I am going to be going through some with drawal of W&K and baby Georgie, hopefully they add more events to their diaries soon! The polls will hold me over for a bit tho 😃 !I love Georgie in red, it goes nice with the poppy from earlier in the day. Have a great day everyone!

Yes! George looked wonderful in red. I'm still hoping someone will i.d. the little red cardigan. It was wonderful! If it's not too terribly expensive, I want to purchase one like it for a friend's grandchild.

I have to say, her hair is gorgeous, she looks happy and beautiful, but I think I only liked maybe 1 dress (IF!) on this tour. Throughout the tour, a few people mentioned that perhaps the Queen influencing her design choices was a rumor, but honestly now that we have seen this last look (which I really like actually, blue, green and pink look spectacular on her) I have to say you can obviously see someone else has been selecting her outfits. William has never commented on her clothing before, even in a joking manner, so I have to think that he too was not a fan of what she was "told" to wear. Some of these (the white dress from the reception last night most of all, HIDEOUS) are truly so the polar opposite of what she is and how she normally dresses. The longer hemlines, fine, I understand that we can't have underwear being shown around town, especially from a duchess, but these pieces throughout the tour were so MATRONLY that to me it has absolutely mean someone else (like a royal dresser to the QUEEN who is accustomed to dressing a nearly 90 year old woman!) picked out her items for her. Catherine must feel an enormous amount of pressure and for that, I support her no matter what she wore. We have no idea what she must be going through knowing she is about to be scrutinized by the entire world from her head down to her toes. If she's not smiling enough, someone says she's unhappy. If she poses a certain way, she's pregnant. It must be utterly exhausting to listen to people's stories and respond positively all day long, every second, with everyone watching and listening to what you say. I'm sure she's totally relieved to be back home at this point!!! George, btw, looked utterly stunning in every outfit. Hands down she picked them all herself, we all know it. No input from the Queen's dresser there!!! And Charlotte, spectacular job posting as always. You were AMAZING. Get some rest!!! - Liza

Sorry, I firmly disagree. The clothes she wore were very much to her own tastes as frequently seen in the past. No one was "telling" her to what to wear. She even repeated pieces from the past. She makes her own choices, I think that's quite clear. The Queen's dresser dresses an 80-something woman. The notion that she was giving advice to the Duchess is simply not credible. Don't pay attention to the Daily Mail. They make things up, and they were wrong about several things regarding this tour.

I do not believe that anyone is "telling" Kate what to wear. I think she is trying different looks and learning as she goes. And I am NOT comparing them, but it took Diana years to find her own understated, elegant style. I wonder if people remember some of Diana's more matronly and very safe choices in the beginning....

No way did some older lady choose the Duchess' outfits. As for Princess Diana, I absolutely loved her early choices. It was the 1980's. Ladies dressed that way & not in suits. Women were just starting to get into the workforce, & very few suits were worn, maybe a skirt with a blouse & tie bow. Diana never looked matronly. She looked like a beautiful, feminine Princess. Everything the Duchess wore was similar to what she has been wearing all along with just a little longer hem. The white dress was by a designer who had designed dresses for the Bush daughters. And remember, the items she chose for outdoor occasions needed to be for warmth as well.

Hello! I found your blog a couple of years ago and have been a loyal follower ever since. Just wanted to thank you SO much for providing such wonderful coverage of this royal tour!!! I live in the U.S. on the East Coast and really looked forward to waking up each morning knowing I'd be checking this reliable and amazing blog to see what the Royals had been up to while I was asleep. Great, great work!!! And thank you!!!

I can't imagine how tired these two must be! I can't imagine how much I would be looking forward to getting home! Loved Kate's outfit, it really made her eyes stand out beautifully. It was nice to see some pictures with their energy and chemistry back! Wish them the best on their rest and 3rd anniversary!

Charlotte- thank you so much for your incredible coverage during this tour! It was so enjoyable to follow all of your very informative posts, and I'm certain that many readers with be experiencing withdrawal now that the tour is over! Hopefully you can get some (I'm sure much needed!!) rest. I actually really liked Kate's look today and didn't mind the hat. I'm in agreement with some commenters above that she is wearing this outfit and it enhances her beauty- the outfit is not wearing her. Cate

So it' s micheal kors?It's a beautiful piece and I am so happy she chose some melange colour, something that departs from her usual monchromeThe hat is funny but she can sport it with fair so the look remain unspoit

That said, I keep on wondering why she changes so many designers just to have the same style of dress , I think this is a great waste of time if that is her taste (so far she could easily leave c walker to carole and switch to kors)Gabriella, italy

Charlotte I want to take this moment to thank you for such great coverage of this royal tour. Again you out did yourself. It had to be very hard on you with the time change but you gave of your time to bring this blog to the fans of the Duchess. I think this is the best tour so far even though it is only their 3rd. And with George involved just made it even better.All these photos of them as a family just proves what a loving family they are. William showing what a doting daddy and loving husband he really is. It just put a big smile on my face everytime I seen them with George. And I agree with you we will not see George again until July. And I wonder when we will see Kate & William again.I hope we see them at the wedding on May 3rd but agsin it is so close to them returning from their tour. But we can only hope & wish. Maybe they will leave George with grandma Carole and attend but I really do not see them bring him to the States after this long of a tour and the long flight home.I have to laugh at myself, I am having withdrawals already...lolWell again Charoltte thank you for giving us the coversage you did for this very long tour.

Charlotte, I have really enjoyed following the tour on your blog. I rarely comment but I just wanted to thank you for all the hard work you put into making each post so interesting and I love learning both about Kate's fashion and the engagements. I will miss the daily posts! Go get some sleep! Job well done :)Lauren

Thank you Charlotte, you did an amazing job during the last weeks. George is so cute and I can't wait to see him again! They seem to be very happy together :)All in all I liked the most of Kates dresses! The yellow one she was wearing on the arrival day in Sidney was so cool. Also the green coat was very nice. BUT a few pounds more would make Kate look more healthy!!

Thanks again Charlotte I am looking forward to your next post :)P.S. sorry for mistakes, English isn't my mother language.

What mistakes,Simone? Have you read some of our posts from those whose mother tongue is English? I studied through third year German in college, but I would hate to compare my German to your English.Marg

Simone, I am a retired English teacher here in the US, and I think your English is wonderful. Furthermore, I enjoyed your thoughtful comments, and I hope you'll keep honing your language skills by posting on this blog. P.S. Rest assured, you make fewer mistakes than MANY of the native English speakers who post here. I admit that I do cringe at some egregious errors, especially when the mistake is made by one of my compatriots from the US.

Simone, I must confess that my first purpose when I started following this blog was to practice - and if possible improve - my English: now I am very involved and fascinated both by Kate and Charlotte :) I don't know if my English is acceptable, but it's such fun to share opinions here, that I don't mind!

Hi . 3 cheers to u Charlotte! ! Superb fabulous job u did here. I wanna tell u that I didn't check out any other sites about the tour. I only come straight to ur blog. Even though I don't comment often I am here several times a day checking for updates! ! My husband thinks I am insane! !! Thank u thank u and thank u!!!!! Job well done

Thank You Charlotte for the beautiful blog. I have enjoyed it very much. I agree with the above post that Prince George changed in his looks over this past three weeks! Babies grow up so fast. I think they did a great job and the Queen should be very proud. I have loved the pictures of New Zealand and Australia, would love to go sometime. I think The Duchess has been wearing the acorn necklace as of late because she misses her family, and she is keeping them in her thoughts with wearing this piece. Hope they have a safe and restful journey home.

Milo, I thought the same thing about the necklace. Also, a way of letting them know she was thinking of them..I also think the watch has a similar sentimental meaning.I know she was away for Gap Year, but she needed extra comfort with this trip, I think. Then, she only had to measure up to her own expectations.And, then again , maybe she just really likes those pieces.

Pure speculation on my part, but I do think those 3 specific charms relate to people in her life, as there are other charm objects available. Could be the 3 siblings. Could be WK&G. I love the whole idea of the charms and especially that they are so delicate.

Charlotte, thank you so much for your royal tour coverage! You had outstanding pictures, great commentary, and were the quickest!

I have a suggestion for a blog entry, for when you are done resting from this tour, of course lol. I live in the US and am not really sure the etiquette regarding wearing hats and fascinators. I would love to learn more about it. About a year ago, I started noticing young women here wearing hats to weddings and parties.

Kate looked beautiful today. Michael Kors must be thrilled! I hope they visit the US again!

I thought the whole tour looks were excellent I liked some outfits more than others but honestly, if someone gave me this wardrobe, I would be in heaven. One of the main things I admire is how the choices Kate makes allow her to shine. The clothes are a backdrop to this. Too many people dress to stun the crowd and forget that what you choose is about them as a person first. The essence of the quintessentially European look is about style and poise not the loud, shouty, "ensembles" that try to scream money, power or fashion.

I think the Duchess and Prince William are a great couple, who thoroughly enjoy each others company and are clearly revelling in their precious little man. I get so annoyed when I read commentors speculating negatively on a photo where the Duke and Duchess are not animated in glee (usually amongst a host of other photos where the love, admiration and fun is radiently clear). Photographers can capture a look in one thousanth of a second. They can get whatever look their editor wants so I think that we should all bear this in mind. The tittle tattle comments and nit-picking really degrade the blog IMO. The world has the Daily Mail for those types of comments.

Charlotte, the blog over the last few weeks was just so entertaining and I looked forward to reading it every morning. You did fantastic work and you should really take a big bow and enjoy the praise being heaped upon you.

Congratulations too to James Wattling for the simply stunning images that he produced of the tour. Top class work, James and in what must of been stressful times for you (your poor partner must have been non-to-pleased with welcoming your new bundle alone!!). Joy and long-life to your precious little person.

Darn I hate when I delete my whole message.Well in shorter words. Well done WK&G!!!!!!!!!!!!William you have guided and supported Kate marvelously :) Kate your natural beauty inside and out shines through :)George you are the new darling in town and all over the world.Charlotte a toast to you for your fantastic work bringing is this Tour.I only wish we could be with you in person to say Thank you!Oh and I loved this last coat and hat!!!!!Have a lovely weekend all :)

Thank you for your quick and thorough coverage of the tour. Overall, I was generally pleased with Catherine's choices. While its arguable that there were some misses, Catherine looks amazing in everything. The Royals should be pleased with the outcome, and I look forward to reading further posts (and admiring Kate from afar).

First time commenter from Canada here, but a long time fan of this blog/site!

Charlotte, kudos to you for your continued amazing and thorough coverage of not only this Australian tour, but of every appearance that the Duchess makes. Not only are you often the first to post updates, but your posts are always thoughtful, well-researched and well-written, and full of the information that your readers are looking for - not to mention tons of great pictures!

I also want to thank you for always including ample background information and details about the Duchess' patronages and the causes that she supports. Too often, the official "news sources" (not sure if the Daily Mail counts!) tend to gloss over these details in favour of information of what the Duchess is wearing. While they may just be catering to the masses of "Repli-Kates", it's really a shame that a wider audience isn't made more aware of the great charities the Duchess is involved with. I know that this has led some Royal watchers to unfairly label the Duchess as being lazy and not genuinely invested in these causes, and in my opinion has diminished the potential power and influence that the Duchess can have as these organizations' patron. However, through the detailed posts on your site and a few others, I'm sure you have made a difference for these charities in raising awareness on what they're about - the media could really learn a lesson from you!

On a more lighthearted note, overall I wasn't a fan of the Duchess' outfits/looks on this tour. Perhaps it's the Canadian in me, but the Canada/US tour was far and away my favourite: each look (outfit, accessories, hairstyles) was a winner. The Southeast Asian tour was also great but had a few misses, and this Australia/NZ tour was the most disappointing. However, there were a few great looks (the Tory Burch, the LK Bennett, the Diane von Furstenberg, and the Zimmerman dresses all come to mind), and I still think she looked flawless overall!

Stephanie, I agree. I went back and looked at her outfits for the Canada tour, and I basically love them all. This tour had a lot more formal coat dresses and suits. I hope it was a difference in tours and not a difference in how she'll be dressing from now on. She looked a little more approachable in Canada, yet absolutely stunning. In Australia/NZ, most of her looks are worlds away from what the average person would wear. She looked gorgeous, but her outfits seemed a little more distancing than some of her past ones.

I have enjoyed your blog so much over the last three weeks, the effort you have put in has been immense. Many thanks for your time and wonderful coverage, I have loved learning all about the beautiful areas in both countries and loved all catherines clothes especially the yellow dress and the green erdem coat. I hope you have a well deserved break after all your efforts. Again many thanks. Fiona from Ireland

I think this tweed coat dress, and the first red coat, fit Kate the best of the outfits she wore. All of her designers, including Sarah Burton, should be able to make clothing that fits her so well! Maybe Kate intended the hat to remind us of the little bilby George, but it also looks like a V for victory to me! I'm glad she wore it that way. The brooch is very beautiful; I hope she wears it often. This whole outfit is perfect.

It might be a bit late to offer this information but the Mirror says that this tour consisted of 51 engagements in 12 cities and involved 20 + flights ..that is quite a tour! It whizzed by for US but I'm sure it didn't for William and Kate!!....or YOU, Charlotte!!

An incredible tour, I think that they should be proud of themselves. Surprised that we saw little George so many times! I thought that Catherine's outfits were very smart and liked the final tweed coat, too. The small hat perched on the front of her head reminded me of some very similar designs that Pippa has worn to weddings. Does the charm necklace really cost $6,000.00?! I think my only criticism of Catherine's outfits was the dull colour of the Illinic dress. I think the longer length of the majority of her outfits was appropriate for the occasion. Someone on this blog provided a link to the photos taken on their day off; I agree that they are very intrusive/invasive, and not acceptable. However, I think that they are amongst the most touching that I have ever seen of the couple. I know that I should not have looked at them, I am being completely hypocritical.

My dear Charlotte, I loved all of your posts! Thank you so much for all of your hard work covering every aspect of the Royal Tour!! I was so proud of the Cambridges. In everything they participated in, not a wrong word, look, nothing out of place, & the little Prince of Cuteness nearly stole the entire show! The last day of the War Commemoration was so meaningful & very touching with all the poppies & sprigs of rosemary. I'm so happy that even though they weren't scheduled for the early morning event, Prince William & the Duchess made it to show their respects. As for the Duchess' tweed coat, she looks lovely in blue & wears a lot of blue. I'm not sure of the weather, perhaps due to the weather, she chose the tweed for warmth versus a bulky coat. I don't think she looked old in the tweed because she is absolutely stunning no matter what she wears. She will be able to use this outfit for years to come, especially at places like Balmoral & could make it look more youthful with boots & a cute scarf. Today was a formal event, & Catherine looked impeccable. I loved her hat & never thought one minute about rabbit ears. I thought it looked formal & fit for a Royal. The only thing I didn't think went well with the outfit was the necklace, as it appeared too informal. Catherine has a lovely diamond cross on a silver chain. She wore the cross the occasion of her first speech, & it would have fit very well for this ceremony, going well with the earrings that she wore. I've never seen her wear it since, & I have to question if she was told to not wear the cross due to the possibility of offending someone. Charlotte, I would love your opinion on the cross. Again, thank you so much, my dear. You need to put your feet up & have a nice cup of tea, & rest up for whatever comes next. :)

Charlotte, thanks for all the news on William, Kate and George! They got themselves dressed and were kind to their hosts. No tantrums, public drunkenness, fistfights or lawsuits.Well done! Looking forward to reading the lists of goods they scored for their efforts. My favorite part of the tour? Learning that it took 30 emails to create one hat. Who knew?! I can't even imagine how Kate does shoe shopping. I hope someone takes the time to add up the expense of the wardrobe, or put another way, how much Kate contributes to the artists in the fashion industry.

Someone has tried to add up the cost of her tour wardrobe in NZ dollars (total approx $100, 000 NZ)http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/9912975/NZ-Royal-Tour-What-Kates-wearinghttp://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/fashion/9953152/Oz-Tour-What-Kates-Wearing

Hello all. I've been searching for a bit of time for a video of Kate's speech at Bear Hospice. I used the Sky News link that you provided, Charlotte, but the video isn't available now. I can only find a video of the last part of her speech on the internet now. Seems a bit odd. Anyway, I think that Kate has done magnificently well on this tour, as always. The Queen must be delighted.

Another phenomenal job, Charlotte!! Following the tour via your blog was definitely the way to go. Your intelligent, informative, lightning-fast posts and photos captured the mood of the tour completely. I believe that William & Catherine did an amazing job and - even better - gave us lovely glimpses into their family closeness. I agree with Anonymous 05:25 - I'm certain the Queen is very pleased with the Cambridges tour. Thanks again for all your research and for your gracious writing style!! Get some rest! :o)

The Court Circular records 2 engagements not mentioned elsewhere. The first in NZ on the evening of the Governor General's reception and the second in Canberra before the Anzac ceremony. Both were Investitures carried out by Prince William on behalf of the Queen, Who was invested and with what is not stated.

Thank you Charlotte for your tireless and gracious work these past few weeks! I am not an avid royal watcher, but discovered your blog accidently on the first day of the tour, and have eagerly anticipated your posts every day since. I thought Prince William, the Duchess, and Prince George did a wonderful job as ambassadors for the U.K. and the Commonwealth.

One thing I wanted to address though. In the last days of the tour, there were increasing grumbles that the Duchess had not worn enough pieces by local designers, that it was disrespectful of her not to do so, that it showed insufficient support of local economies, and that, as a consequence, NZ and Australia had wasted tax dollars hosting the tour. I respectfully urge those who think this way to consider another point of view.

The Duchess should not be seen as a walking billboard for hire, a perception which too direct a link between the places she visits and the outfits she wears could foster and which, over time, would severely compromise the dignity and power of her position.

As the wife of a future king and the mother of another future king, the Duchess's sphere of influence could and should extend well beyond the fashion industry. Had she debuted a large number of new pieces by local designers, most of the media glare would have been restricted to that alone -- to the detriment of the people, events and causes she was trying to highlight and the host countries more generally. By muting the attention to fashion, she forced the media to cast a wider net in its reporting, the benefits of which accrued to the host countries as a whole and the diverse industries within them rather than to the fashion industry alone.

One other point bears mentioning about cost. The royal family brings in much more than is spent on them. The world's attention was riveted on NZ/Australia for three weeks. Most countries have to spend billions hosting events like the Olympics to get such sustained, favorable attention. The economic benefit of this kind of PR is incalculable and is not confined to a few fashion houses selling out a few pieces. Millions may have been spent, but the tangible and intangible benefits probably run in the hundreds of millions, if not more.

Anyway, thanks again for all your work, and I look forward to regular visits here.

Well said Anonymous @22.35. You might be interested to read this article on the expected tourism benefitshttp://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/royal-visit-means-big-bucks-for-tourism-20140425-378no.html

From an Australian perspective the tour is regarded as a resounding success - the media monitoring reports (including trends in social media) for the period of the visit demonstrate this unequivocally.

The comments here are always interesting but it is a 'bubble' of people interested in fashion and this can mean sometimes losing perspective of what really matters. The wider Australian community is much less interested in fashion and more interested in the substance of William and Kate as individuals and how they interact with people and places. They've cemented the view that they're a modern, more relaxed version of the RF who are down to earth, accessible and serious about what they do. They've also shown a sense of fun which has gone down well here.

Welcome, Anon 22:35 and thank you for your astute observations regarding the Duchess and her wardrobe. I would hate to see her become a "walking billboard" or be defined solely on the clothing she wears. I agree that the affect of their visit Down Under can't possibly be measured in terms of monetary value.

Can you give some examples of economic benefit you think the country will gain? Are you expecting more foreigners to enter the country and boost the travel industry? Are you speaking about entrepreneurs who took the opportunity to sell flags and goods to their countrymen?Are you thinking more countrymen will be going to the places Will and Kate visited? The Zoo and the Shotover Jet? I question the assumption that Royal visits bring in "incalculable economic benefit" - are the people of Canada and Maylasia, Singapore, Solomon Island's and Tuvalu more wealthy because they visited there? I highly doubt it.

To all of the above comments, I can absolutely assure you all, that "Yes" whilst Kate and William were here, they were loved by all and we enjoyed having them.Please, we do not go on about the lack of Australian fashion houses worn by Kate. It is not a big deal for us and our designers! Comments made further up the post show this.

We do appreciate the attention that the couple brought to some quiet causes (eg Bear House).We certainly have not seen a huge increase in revenue from tourism (overseas/interstaters who deliberately came our way just to catch a glimpse of the couple). Nor was there a lot of people traffic moving around the country at the time to see the royals. You just happened to be one of the fortunates if you were close by to their travel itinerary. Incoming flights and passenger numbers are some statistics can show this to be true.I believe perhaps a slight rise by maybe 5-10% on Easter Saturday in Brisbane which showed no hire car availability on that day when Kate and William flew in - but this could be due to Easter as Australians are great Easter holiday travellers and corresponding school term break.

We like the couple but are not enamoured by them. (this applies to the majority of our population). Bear in mind our population has a significant number of migrants and a substantial number are first generation - 90% of first generation migrants are from non Anglo countries who wouldn't even know that the royals were in town.

If someone had a great desire to see a royal they would undoubtedly head of to the UK, not Australia or NZ.So we don't expect to see any influx in tourism now they have gone.Some natural wonders were highlighted, but many of these would be familiar territory to someone planning an Australian holiday already. The couple did not visit any rare/unknown spots to bring attention to them.

I loved seeing William and Kate on our land and within familiar territory and I truly believe they loved being here. In all honesty, once they turned and waved their final farewell, the media hype flew off with them.No more royal news in our media, bar the exception of women's magazines who will always find a reason to put Kate on their cover every now and again.This is why I like to log onto Charlotte's blog, since we really don't get much here at all; and if we do it's usually a lot of inaccuracies and hypothetical stories.

So yes unknown at 22:35 I agree with the "fashion issues" that have been ongoing, and I have tirelessly commented on this from earlier on the tour.But I must agree with Maryland Moxie that economically it hasn't been a windfall, despite the one sided opinion of a journalist with very little statistics to support his argument.This kind of information can only be realistically obtained after a year has lapsed and we have surveyed a number of tourists as to why they are here. Once the ABS releases such figures we can continue with the economic debate. It would be interesting to see if such a study has been done in countries that have recently had a royal visit.

I am enjoying the differing viewpoints on this topic though - in a civilised manner.Perhaps a discussion for the dinner table?

Our Catherine is not a celebrity as u would imagine a US celeb. Your thinking with clearly an American mindset. Our Catherine is not there to sell products or create "economic activity" whatever,. When have you known a royal do anything such thing. If that was the case Kate will be doing adverts and endorsements surely or Tv.???

She's a wife and mother to the future kings and together with prince William as a family they made a first trip to the commonwealth of Australia and NZ. The commonwealth is a huge part of the globe and the connection with Britain is strong, and the royal family are part of that. The royal family can do what in most cases a prime minister cannot do, and that's to maintain cultural, historical a many other links with it's many member countries.

The royal family do not bring in tourism. They enhance tourism already there. They bring a added focus and attention. I'm sure everybody has heard of the Sydney Opera house. Now more people have heard of it since the royal visit. Similarly with other places. I never heard of the Blue Mountains, Uluru and Tarango Zoo, nor did I know Australia had a fashion industry. I also didn't know New Zealand produces wines. I practically know nothing about NZ apart from rugby. But I do now and so do billions of others I would imagine. They will get more of tourism because of the exposure, and u guess more immigration because the commonwealth realms, are generally peaceful, democratic and endearing places unlike their own original homelands I suspect.

I read somewhere the Duchess is officially still within maternity leave (52wks), and yet she has carried out a major tour together with baby. And taxpayers have not paid for the tour only security which is afforded to every visiting dignitries and head of states. The republic types always shout the "taxpayer" line, because as a fringe group there desperate to be heard, otherwise they're generally ignored and remain bitter at the royal family's high popularity. .......As the saying goes "if something ain't broke don't fix it "

Awww, I am sad the Royal Tour has come to an end. It was a huge success!!! And I enjoyed watching every moment with our favorite couple, now family =) William and Kate did a fine job, and I am sure they are looking forward to spending some time out of the spotlight to rest and recover from the trip. It was so nice to see little Georgie, and I kind feel bad about not seeing him again until his birthday probably....

Here is a link that describe what goes into the the planning of the royal tour down to what the Duchess will wear on each occasion. This is well worth reading;http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCgQqQIwAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.telegraph.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fuknews%2Ftheroyalfamily%2F10789798%2FRoyal-tour-Behind-the-scenes-of-the-Duke-and-Duchess-of-Cambridges-trip.html&ei=32VdU8TSL-muyAG9yICYCg&usg=AFQjCNF-ZTHvOIaUIvmKbQ90Mfg6ge-Sdw&bvm=bv.65397613,d.aWw

I read that article too. It's just soooo massive what goes into each and every one of their appearances. It's almost a miracle any of their actions appear to be vivid, caring or spontaneous. Kate and William are putting on a great show which must cost them a lot of energy. And I am not saying they are not genuine. I mean it in the most respectful way and I really admire them. Representing and being the best version of yourself is very, very hard work. I was watching them at Auckland Harbour and the whole orchestration of police, security, media, then the armada of cars, support staff pouring out and then eventually the royal couple appeared. This was not leisure travelling by any stretch of the imagination.

Hello everyone, sorry, I do not use social media, so I do not know how to log in properly. Thank you all for your kind responses to my earlier remarks. I did not mean to challenge anyone's established contrary views. My remarks were, rather, intended for people who seemed to be genuine admirers of the Cambridges but who were being swept up and made increasingly distraught by the meme that Catherine had somehow snubbed NZ/Australia. In my view, the Cambridges showed nothing but respect, caring, and admiration for NZ/Australia and its peoples, and I wanted to voice that. Thanks to local commentators for informing me that I had fretted for no good reason!

One more comment on the economics of the situation, and then I'll leave well enough alone. Some of the tangible benefits of the tour may be directly traceable, such as increased tourism in the near-term, but in my view, the majority of the benefits will probably be more diffuse and longer-term in nature. They are, nevertheless, real. The tour gave me, for instance, a heightened awareness of Australia that even the Olympics when it was hosted there did not give me. I've been looking for movies and books about NZ/Australia, and "glamping" at Uluru is now on my bucket list of things to do. Multiply that by millions and millions, and there is quite an economic effect.

Those positive associations which lead to increased tourism, greater investment, and more consumption of products and services from down under, were created first and foremost by the peoples of NZ/Australia themselves. What the tour did, though, due to the intense worldwide interest in the Cambridges and British royalty, was to highlight, reinforce, and refresh those associations in the minds of millions of people the world over. From a marketing or branding standpoint, that's worth quite a lot economically.

Thanks everyone for receiving my remarks in the respectful spirit in which it was intended. Thanks again to Charlotte and all you wonderful commentators for your informative and engaging posts. This blog has been a lovely respite these past few weeks and, though I've said my last bit on this particular subject, I look forward to many future visits here.

Remember the watch that Kate wore every day? I found this little tidbit on the Daily Mail. I can't imagine how this was confirmed, but that has never stopped DM before. It does make sense, because Kate seems to love her watch and it definitely is new and much larger than her "old" watch.

Kate's treasured love token... a £3,600 watch

It is the gift that says William and Kate’s love is timeless. The Duke and Duchess may not celebrate their third wedding anniversary until Tuesday, but romantic Wills is well ahead of the curve: he presented Kate with a stunning wristwatch weeks before they went on tour.

Kate adores the stylish stainless steel £3,600 Ballon Bleu de Cartier watch, which is embedded with a sapphire stone to match her Princess Diana engagement ring, and made sure she wore it every day of the tour.

Thanks so much Charlotte for your work during the last weeks. I have really enjoyed reading and re-reading your posts throughout the days! My guilty pleasure!

Okay, this might be a crazy thought...but...normally we see at least one pic when they land back in London....we haven't seen that. What if they went directly to Tennessee and are hiding out in the Smokey Mtn's or Gatlinberg or somewhere relaxing to chill until the Pelly wedding. The wedding is in 6 days (next Saturday, and it's Sunday evening here in the US) and there are the traditional pre-wedding events that they probably have to attend; the bachelor/bachelorette parties, bridal luncheon, groom & groomsmen golfing, rehersal, rehersal dinner and then the wedding itself. It seems like a really long trek to go all the way back across the Atlantic and then fly back a few days later to the US. Have you heard any mentions of my theory being a possibility Charlotte?

Again thanks for all your hours spent researching and writing non-stop the last few weeks.

It is being reported that only William and Harry are attending the wedding. Catherine is staying at home with George. William is to fly in for two days only and according to palace sources they are to fly in and fly out without causing too much distraction. Catherine is reported to have said that as much as she would like to attend the wedding it would turn into a media circus and take away from the most important person on the day who is the bride. Have to admire her for the decision she has made as much as we would all like to see her at the wedding.

Thanks, Anne! That's very interesting and makes perfect sense. I know William and Kate, plus Harry have attended other weddings in the U.K., but the media has seemed respectful, and the "royals" have tried to keep a low profile. I do think the American media would turn the wedding into a circus if they have access to any of the pre-wedding events. It's unfortunate.

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